Rising fees pose threat to sports groups

Still find it difficult to buy into the increase in fees to use municipally owned facilties.
Perhaps it is wrong to make the assumption, but are municipalities not obliged to provide some reasonably priced facilities as part of their responsibility to the community and the very taxpayers who pay for such luxuries through their tax dollars?
It’s difficult to believe user groups are not rebelling or up in arms against this heavy-handed approach by municipalities that, in time, could threaten some athletic groups by pricing them out of the range of many residents. If for no other reason than to force municipalities to provide reasonable explanations for their actions.
As one sports group executive pointed out this week, the extent of consultation with the Town of Newmarket amounted to a meeting called to hand out a document announcing an increase in fees, in that case, through an hours used rate scheme.
There is a quality of community life issue at stake. By raising fees dramatically, municipalities risk pricing athletics out of the range of some families, kids are forced out of constructive activities and into the streets and dark alleyways.
Sounds alarmist? Wait and see.